The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-12-23

the face of light foreign demand and
falling prices elsewhere s-< 4A
The combination held up long, and the
margins to sustain it were regularly paid,
but the break came at last and the mystery
was solved. All the available cash of the
aged Briggs Swift, and nearly all that Of
the depositors of the Fidelity National
bank, had gone into tka s'deal" and was
irretrieyably lost. The responsible man
was Edward Z. Harper, and associated
with him were Ammi Baldwin, cashier,
and Benjamin Hopkins, assistant cashier.
The last two wait their turn, as Harper is
tried first.
He is comparatively young man, not
quite 40 years old, native of the lumber
regions OF Pennsylvania, and has been a
gpeeHlator from the start. 1t is said that
In one transaction, in 1881, he and few
associates uetted $1,000, 900 in Chicago
deal. Infatuated, like other gamblers, he
went in again, on the falling market of
1885, and lestit all; third time he tried
it. with other peoples money, and is now
called upon to prove that his action was
not criminal. The prosecution charges
that he was assisted by Cashiers Hopkins
and Ammi Baldwin. The. latter is go
years old and has seen much trouble. His
son, Harry Baldwin, was murdered on the
street in Cincinnati in 1879, and no clew
to the pePpetrator was eyer found. Benja-
min Hopkins is 50 years old, and man Of
marked ability in some respects. but very
peculiar in Others; he is a Spiritualist Of
the extreme type and an eager reader of
all sorts Of out of the way and occult
literature. The prosecution charges that
he connived with Harper for the exchange
- II kln& - ~
returned in the assets as cash, and that
Miss Josie Holmes, exchange clerk of the
bank, over whom Harper exercised some
strange influence, did the fraudulent
clerical work. She is also under arrest.
to fictitious credits, false accounts and
bogus certificates of deposit.
AS might be expected, there was much
difficulty in securing jury, the matter
having obtained wide notoriety, all the
facts having been published in the papers.
A special venire was issued and sixty
talesmen were sworn on their voir dire
before the Impartial twelve were Sc
lected. Nearly all the talesmen are
farmers of the best class, and the jury
consists of men Of high character. 1t is
occasions like this, especially in the agri-
cultural regions, that show the value of
American institutions and the high char
acter of American citizenship. The ver-
dict of such a jury carries with it the
force of matured and honest conclusions.
All the surroundings of the trial are such
as to make it historic. 1t is held In the
large and handsome United States circuit
court room, on Main street; the adorn-
ments of the room symbolic the dignity
OF the government, and from the wall the
large portraits of the late Judges Swing and
Mclean look down upon their worthy sue
cessors, Judges Sage and Jackson. United
States District Attorney Burnett, assisted
by Mr.. Henry Hooper, prosecutes: Maj.
Blackburn and ex-Judge Wilson defend;
United States Marshal Henry C. Urner
and his deputy, Richard C. Rohner, are
the ministerial officers, and Miss Ryan, +
petite, black eyed young lady, is official
stenographer. The crowd In attendance
packs the room; the prisoner is attended
by his wife and family, and in the audi
ence are many distinguished lawyers and
public men. The people recognize this as
one OF the great trials Of the age.